In MCI triage, which criterion is associated with DECEASED?

• A. Pulseless
• B. Breathing with a Pulse
• C. Responsive to Painful Stimuli
• D. Cannot Localize Painful Stimuli

Answer: (A)

In mass‑casualty triage, responders quickly separate those who are alive and likely to benefit from care from those who are not. The criterion used to mark someone as DECEASED is the absence of a central pulse. If a patient has no detectable pulse, there isn’t effective circulation to vital organs, and in a resource‑limited, time‑critical scenario, they’re categorized as deceased so attention can be focused on those who may still survive with treatment.

If a patient still has a pulse, even if they’re not fully responsive or are breathing slowly, they’re not considered deceased and are triaged into other categories. For example, breathing with a pulse shows there is some perfusion, and responsiveness to stimuli indicates consciousness, so those signs point away from the deceased category.